We recently had a new male client come in and I heard him ask if we had any brochures that were specific to skincare and treatments for men. I wanted to run out there and show him this blog! We've have one or more male clients in here almost everyday., so I've updated this post...share with your men if they're interested!
Let’s start with skincare product recommendations for men first. Men have thicker skin than women and often have oilier skin. Irritation can be a problem too from daily shaving. Best recommendations for a baseline skincare routine: A retinoid like Skin Better’s Alpha Ret helps speed up cellular renewal, improve skin texture and lines (really!), and their proprietary formula allows the product to penetrate the skin barrier without causing the irritation that some experience with retinols like Retin-A. You’ll definitely notice a difference in your skin within 1-2 weeks. Alpha Ret has several variations including Intensive, which contains more glycolic acid for quicker skin cell turnover, and Alpha Ret Clearing Serum which contains more salicylic acid for those with acneic skin.
Next, always pick up a sunscreen. We have many options from Elta MD that aren’t tinted or scented. For a very succinct explanation of which one is best for your skin type, check out this past blog. Elta MD also offers a body SPF that doesn’t feel chalky and doesn’t leave you smelling like sunscreen. It also comes in an Aero form which is great for reapplication.
If you’re interested in more than just the bare bones of skin care, an eye cream would be a great addition, as well as an appropriate facial cleanser. Eye creams like Skin Better’s Eye, Revision's DEJ Eye, snd Neocutis’s Lumiere combat dark circles, puffiness, and texture with ingredients like caffeine, peptides, and vitamin C, and in the case of Lumiere, growth factors for extra help with lines. Although you may see these ingredients on many drugstore products, the difference in these physician-dispensed lines is the molecule size of the ingredients and the mechanism of delivery (the ingredients need to be able to penetrate the skin barrier to work). All these lines have extensive research and proven results behind them.
Facial washes that are recommended for sensitive to normal skin: From Skin Ceuticals: Replenishing Cleanser (for dry skin) or Soothing Cleanser (normal to oily). From Elta MD: Foaming Facial Wash. For more acne prone skin: Skin Ceuticals LHA Cleanser or Obagi Clenziderm Foaming Wash.
Want an all-in-one product? Skin Better developed Solo Hydrating Defense, just for men. It reduces sebum levels for less oily looking skin, it’s a lightweight hydrator, and
improves the appearance of pores, skin tone, skin texture and redness.
For men who are interested in more than just products, there’s the whole world of laser and light treatments, and injectables. As for injectables, keep in mind that men must be injected differently than women. There are anatomical differences in the face that need to be kept in mind, such as that men’s eyebrows are not arched like women’s, and therefore injections must be done accordingly so as to not give a male patient a feminized look.
Don’t aim for 100% correction.
Taking away all of a man’s wrinkles and creases can often cause a feminized look as well. When Botox is injected properly, some movement and some lines can be left so expressions are natural, and the result simply looks relaxed and more youthful. With 100% correction, the appearance would be smooth and frozen.
I have seen this before, and all I knew was that there was something odd looking with those men’s faces, I just couldn’t figure it out until I worked in this industry. I would see men in their mid 50s to mid-60s and I would think, Hmmm…did they WAX their face?? What is happening here on their very shiny, smooth face that shouldn’t be happening?! And now that I’m in the know I think, OHHHHH!!! They’ve had too much Botox (or not had it properly injected).
Men need more Botox units, and likely more filler, than women.
Men have stronger facial muscles, and therefore need more units to relax these muscles. Also, the longer you've waited for your first Botox treatment, the more static lines you will have, and the longer it will take for them to smooth out. You will of course see results with your first treatment, but you may not see your optimal results until after several treatments.
As for filler, men are generally larger than women, and so it follows that their features/treatments areas may be slightly larger, thus requiring more filler than a woman might need.
Don’t look for the best deal with Botox, look for the best injectors. And be aware that Botox injections require maintenance: generally every three to four months for as long as you want to keep those wrinkles away.
In the laser/light world, BBL photofacials are very popular with men to help remove pigment, vascular lesions and general sun damage. Just know that you cannot be tan when you come in for your BBL so there will need to be some planning in your treatment timeline. Hydrafacials are also popular and are a great way to clean and smooth the skin without a more aggressive treatment.